Halloween?
by sandrine
Summary: One Halloween in the Bower-Micelli family. The story takes place around season 3.


**Halloween?**

A gaping mouth with scattered teeth smiled at the boy with the pale complexion and eyes outlined in black. With his trembling hand, he put a long match, finished with a dancing flame, in between the big threatening teeth. Its face became immediately orange. With his breath, he put out the flame and smiled.  
-Hey! Little ghost, ready for a frightening trip on Oak Hills Drive?  
Tony friendly tapped Jonathan's shoulder, who looked at him stupefied.  
- You don't dress up, do you Tony? What are they going to think of me?  
- But of course, I'm dress up!  
Tony set a headband on his brown hair. A bloody knife seemed to pierce his head.  
-Cool, huh?  
-Yeah right ...  
The boy had worked hard on his suit. Dressed in a shadowy white, he was proud of his scary makeup, Samantha had of course helped him with.  
He placed the used match near the big pumpkin that had been turned into "Jack O'Lantern" for Halloween.  
He grabbed his goodie bag, laid near the telephone, where he planned to put all the sweets harvested.  
At the same time, we rang to the door.  
Jenny Wittener showed her pretty little witch face.  
-Hey Jenny, your costume is awesome!  
Jonathan quickly approached the girl, whose pigtailed head was covered with a large black hat.  
- Hi Jonathan.  
Tony, who was standing near the door, still wide open, emitted a sly laugh.  
- Let's go my precious before the others horrible monsters eat all the sweets!  
The bloody knife going through his head, he closed the door behind the three of them.

The noise of footsteps came from the stairs. Samantha, wearing a wide silver belt over top of her white tunic, seemed worried.  
- Calm down, Sam. Angela said, following close behind her.  
- But Angela, do you realize, with Todd sick, I'll be showing up alone to the party! It's so embarrassing!  
- Come on Sam, this is not Prom night. I'm sure there will be other girls without partners.  
While speaking, Angela adjusted the two large brown buns which adorned Samantha's head.  
- Yeah, the geeks from the science club ...  
Angela froze, and gave her a murderous look. The girl realized what she had said and tried to it make up.  
- Well I ... I mean ... heu ... I ...  
She smiled with relish, as a last resort.  
Angela laughed eventually at seeing her sweet face.  
-I'm not going...  
-I'm sure you'll be okay.  
The bell rang. Angela laid a quick kiss on her hair and grabbed the golden handle of the door.  
Bonnie and Marcie came in, excited, each of them pointing out her costume. Marcie, Harlequin Clown in black and white, with pink cheeks, Bonnie, a colorful clown, saddled with a red nose.  
The three girls uttered shrilly screams congratulating each other for having chosen the most beautiful disguises.  
- That's too bad Todd can't go with you, Sam.  
-Embarrassing!  
-Thanks, Bonnie.  
-Hey, Cindy Feldman doesn't have a date either.  
-Great. What a comparison!  
Samantha shivered, her friends as well.  
- Let's go!  
-Have fun!  
-Bye Ms. Bower!  
-Good Bye Ms. Bower!  
Bozo, Harlequin Clown and Princess Leia, waved one more time and left.  
Angela pushed the door closed and sighed.  
Alone. She had no immediate plans for the evening. Tony was escorting Jonathan from house to house. They would probably return in an hour, at the most. The image of a good scary movie and a bowl of popcorn beside the beautiful Italian, meddled in her mind. She smiled at that thought. Halloween was a symbol of fear and chills. Tony had never missed their evening.  
Samantha was spending the night with her friends. Mona was God knows where, with a guy named Harry.  
Alone. She was alone.  
An hour just for her. The young woman picked up the Stephen King book from the desk, settled on the chair near the fireplace where the flames offered a gentle heat.  
The Shining, she became in absorbed it.  
She had just read two pages when the bell rang. This should be children in search of candies.  
She rushed to the door, seizing on her way the big bowl full of candy, prepared for the occasion.  
Angela was surprised and a little disturbed when she found nobody waiting behind the door. She moved two steps under the porch. Nobody. Frowning, she remained suspicious. A joke, probably.  
She returned to the inside, looking twice over her shoulder before closing the door. After throwing a glance out the window, she put the bowl down and took a seat on the chair.  
It rang again.  
She got up and ran to open the door.  
Nobody.  
She would have bet.  
-If a it's a joke, it's not funny!  
She yelled once more before closing the door.  
- Those little brats are seriously starting to annoy me.  
She opened her book again and went back to reading right where she had left off.  
The famous scene of the bathtub was in full swing.  
Angela tensed up, while the words were scrolling before her eyes. Although the fire diffused a constant heat, the young woman shivered. Absorbed by the terror that "little Danny" was living, she let out a yell as she jumped at the sound of the bell.  
Gasping for breath, she tried to calm down.  
She took in a deep breath and slowly breathed out.  
It rang a second time.  
She got up, approached the door, without a noise, and stop at the stairs.  
-Who's there?  
Silence.  
Angela felt a wave of fear invading her.  
-Who is it?  
- Trick or treat!  
Angela sighed and smiled. This time it was a child in search of candy.  
"You're getting paranoid, my dear."  
She took the big bowl once again and opened the door, laughing.  
Nobody.  
Her smile vanished instantly. A strange feeling seized her. Fear mixed with anger.  
She quickly closed the door, put the security chain in its rail and turned the key. With her white hand, she slowly opened the curtain to peek through the window. It was dark as night.  
No movement.  
Nobody.  
She turned on her heels and walk away, laying the bowl of candy on the desk.  
She remained for a moment frozen in the middle of the room, not knowing what to think.  
- Pull yourself together. . . It's Halloween. Someone is playing with you.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Knocks at the door this time.  
Angela tensed up. Her throat tightened, she swallowed hard.  
Her voice trembling, she spoke clearly:  
-Who's there?  
Long silence.  
She dared louder.  
-Who's there?  
A new silence.  
-If you keep doing this, I'll call the police!  
Still nothing.  
Her legs began to shake.  
Someone struck again.  
Her blood chilled. She felt tingling on her neck.  
-Okay, I'm calling the police!  
This was the only thing she could think to say.  
But she remained motionless.  
With still no answer, she made up her mind to use the phone. Before she could pick up the receiver, the phone rang. She jumped. Nervously, she placed her hand on the handset. The ring of the phone slowly vibrating against her palm.  
She picked up the receiver.  
-Hello?  
Nothing.  
-Hello?  
Nothing. The panic rising in her.  
Suddenly, a small distant voice manifested itself.  
-Angela?  
-Wendy?  
-Angela, are you alright?  
Her friend seemed worried.  
-Ye ... Yes ... everything is fine, a few brats are playing with my nerves.  
Angela began to relax a little. The sound of her friend's voice made her feel safer. She felt less lonely.  
-Have you watched the latest news?  
-Uh ... no. Why? What happened Wendy? You're making me worried.  
-Apparently, there's a madman on the loose, terrorizing the area. Halloween is a blessing for him. They called him the Serial Witch Killer!  
-My God!  
-He scares his victims. He plays with them by ringing at their door, terrifies them, and then finished off with them.  
Angela clenched her hand around the handset. A cold sweat sank along her temple.  
She dared not to ask, the response was obvious, and already resonated in her head.  
- ... Wendy, What do you mean by, finished them off?  
-Angela ... There are already 14 victims over the last 3 years ... Every Halloween, the list goes on ... The first body was discovered early in the evening ... close to Oak Hills Drive.  
Angela tried not to panic. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.  
-Angela?  
-Wendy, I think ... I think I'm the next victim ...  
She began to explain the situation.  
-Angela, call...  
Her words remained unfinished.  
-Hello! Hello!  
Nothing. Wendy was no longer on the line.  
Angela looked at the handset, still in her hand. She taped on the phone, trying to get a dial tone, her finger frantically turning the pins of the phone.  
No dial tone.  
She hung up, shaking like a leaf.  
Suddenly, dominated by fear, she scanned the room with her chocolate eyes.  
The silence encircled her.  
Long and heavy knocks echoed.  
The young woman gazed at the wooden rectangle.  
As in slow motion, she passed her hand on her forehead, closed her eyes a few seconds.  
New knocks.  
Then complete darkness.  
Angela was standing in the middle of the living room.  
Alone.  
Silence.  
Nothing but silence and the fire crackling in the stone den.  
Jack smiling at her.  
The sound of her intersected breath emerged from this scary atmosphere.  
What was to become of her, in this crazy killer's hands? A horrible ending was waiting for her.  
And Jonathan?  
Besieged by thousands of thoughts, she didn't notice the shifty noise coming from the kitchen.  
Suddenly, a sound of breaking glass.  
Thrown into a panic, she turned, facing the swinging door of the kitchen.  
She held her breath.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK!

She flip flopped and faced the front door.  
Her breath came faster.  
Behind her a thud.  
A cry.  
Then nothing.

When she opened her eyes, it was a bright light which welcomed her.  
With a shortness of breath, the young woman stood up. Her book dropping on the floor. The sheets making a scattered noise. Sitting in her armchair, the orange colored flames danced in the fireplace, bathing her petrified face.  
-It was a dream ...  
She looked around her, everything seemed normal.  
A nervous laugh escaped from her throat.  
She gave a murderous look at the face full of madness that Jack Nickelson set with rage.  
- I shouldn't read these stories ...  
She grasped the book. In the bottom drawer, she put it away as far as possible.

The bell rang.  
-Who's there?  
-Trick or treat!  
Nervous for a moment, Angela pulled herself together with a laugh, when she heard the sound of that weak voice.  
The big bowl of candy under her arm, she opened the door.  
Nobody.  
A feeling of deja vu took possession of her. As fast as she could, she closed the door turned the latch, set up the security chain and rushed to the phone.  
Suddenly, the light went out.  
A noise of breaking glass in the kitchen.  
The receiver in her hand.  
No dial tone.  
Her fingers scrambling around the table, seeking a possible weapon. A pen. That was all she found. She gripped it tightly.  
She was ready.  
A thud.  
A cry.  
Light.

-Angela! What are you doing in the dark in the middle of the room, armed with a pen and a phone?  
The young woman blinked several times. The receiver gave out a long low beep.  
Mona, wildly dressed up, was standing in front of her, hand on the switch.  
-Mom? It's you thanks heaven!  
She took her in her arms.  
-I thought it was the Serial Witch Killer.  
-My darling, you need a man.  
Angela laughed out loud at the sarcasm. Mona terrified by this attitude, exclaimed:  
-What's happening in this house? I'm worried.  
-Oh nothing, just a bad dream ...  
She put the phone down.  
-I thought you were with Harry?  
-Oh that loser ...

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

Long and heavy knocks echoed.  
Was it just a bad dream?  
Angela panicked.  
-Mother, it's him! I didn't dream it! We have to call the police!  
-Angela! Stop it!  
Mona headed for the door, despite the warnings of her daughter.  
She undid the chain, turned the key and the door slowly opened.  
Angela, both hands pressed against her mouth, waited, frightened.  
Mona screamed.  
The young blonde did the same.  
The large door opened, the beautiful redhead burst out laughing making her way to a small ghost and a handsome dark-haired man, whose head was pierced with a knife.  
Angela breathed out a sigh of relief.  
- Why was the door locked?  
Jonathan looked at his mother, who laughed nervously.  
-Look at all the sweets that I got!  
He brandished a full bag.  
Tony took off his headband.  
-Yes, we can say that this year the neighbors have been generous.  
-I'm going to count my loot!  
And without another word, the boy quickly climbed the stairs.  
-Christopher should be here in a minute. Have a nice evening.  
Tony surprised:  
-Christopher? What about Harry?  
-Harry is history. Christopher has more resources.  
She winked, and slipped away.  
Angela laughed. Tony looked at her.  
- Are you ready for our evening?  
He shaking a black rectangle case in his hand.  
- You bet!  
-I'll make the popcorn!  
Angela took the tape, went to the couch and waited.  
To pass the time, she read the summary of the movie Tony had rented.  
It was the story of a serial killer, terrorizing his victims on Halloween.  
The young woman smiled and swallowed nervously.  
-Well...  
Tony finally appeared, with a huge bowl of popcorn, sat near his friend and smiled.  
-If you're afraid, just hold my hand.  
Side by side, they gazed at the screen as the images unfolded.

Hidden in the bushes, he watched the couple sitting on the sofa. His hand tanned by the sun, stored away a silver blade in its case. His warm breath penetrated in the cold air.  
It was not this time. No luck tonight.  
He stood up.  
With heavy steps, he walked down Oak Hills Drive in search of another victim.


End file.
